Impetuous means acting quickly without thinking things through, driven by sudden emotion or impulse rather than careful reasoning. An impetuous person rushes into decisions before considering the consequences.

Picture a student who, frustrated by a difficult math problem, crumples up their worksheet and throws it away, only to realize moments later that they were actually close to the solution. Or imagine someone who sees a cute puppy and immediately begs their parents to adopt it, without thinking about the daily care, training, and responsibility a dog requires.

When someone acts impetuously, they're pushed forward by their feelings rather than guided by their judgment. An impetuous decision might feel exciting in the moment but often leads to regret later.

Being impetuous differs from being spontaneous or adventurous. Spontaneous people can still make good choices quickly. Impetuous people leap before they look. An impetuous basketball player might take a wild shot instead of passing to a teammate with a better angle. An impetuous shopper might spend all their allowance on something flashy, leaving nothing for what they actually need.